Time to Launch! How to Plan a Breakthrough Rebrand Rollout.

You have made the investment and put a great deal of time into rebranding your business. Countless hours on the thinking and making tough decisions on every detail from the strategy and message to the logo, down to patterns and photographic style. In fact, so much energy and passion went into brand development that you may feel out of steam now that it is officially time to launch.

Don't stop now. A new identity communicated effectively can do wonders for your company's image, but without the groundwork for a smooth transition and storytelling to share the significance of the new brand, you could risk audience confusion. Not to mention, missing a big opportunity to show the market that your company is evolving all for the better.

To set your organization up for rebranding success, you've got to go in with a plan on how to make a smooth and mindful transition. Here are our top tips to execute a breakthrough rebrand rollout:

Update all brand touchpoints

Your company’s marketing and sales platforms and materials should be up to date before you pull the switch. If you are in a position where you simply can't make the investment to convert everything to the new brand identity right away, start with the main engagement vehicles including your website, social media platforms, email marketing, and sales collateral. Don't forget about your Google My Business Listing and other online citations like Yelp, Bing, Apple Maps, and others. Then create a phased plan to update the remaining assets over time.

Need help creating a Google My Business Account or updating the one you have, check out this article: How to Setup Your Goolge My Business Page.

Make your new identity part of a larger story

Humans crave stories and we want to know the meaning behind everything. Take the opportunity to tell your identity transition story, from why the brand shift was necessary to the reasons why this new mark and message fits your organization. As soon as the audience understands the purpose behind the brand, they will appreciate the design as much as you do.

Use the Brand Style Guide to Stay Consistent

Consistency is crucial to building your brand. Any discrepancy in the way that you present your brand could leave your audience confused or uncomfortable or make you look unprofessional. With that in mind, your brand style guide can be the best way to make sure that you maintain your identity effectively. The guide can ensure that your brand implementation strategy stays on track across your designers, writers, and marketing and sales team.

Get buy-in from your employees, partners and clients first

Start with an announcement and roll out at the nucleus of your organization. Schedule meetings, send out emails, create a live stream for key stakeholders including employees, partners and clients. If you earn their trust early they will support and fuel word of mouth as the brand rolls out to the broader market.

Some questions you need to answer for them:

1. Why did we need a rebrand? What prompted the change?

2. What does the brand represent?

3. How will the rebrand affect me and my work?

Produce branded swag to incite word of mouth

Everyone loves swag. Produce relevant branded merchandise to send to all your influencers. This could include suppliers, clients, friends, and media contacts. Include a letter with a story of the rebrand and ask them for their help to spread the word. How they can help? Snap a photo and share it in social with your brand hashtag or share a story of why your brand helped them achieve.

Create a strategic Launch Calendar

Plot out a series of launch tactics and build it into your content calendar. Build up to the final reveal with teasers. Host an event either live or online celebrating with your key stakeholders on the launch date. .

Don’t jump the gun

Don't go public with a new email signature or by changing your social media pages too early. Make sure to give yourself enough time to do the last check, and don’t risk leaking the new brand to the public before the official launch.